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(No Model.)

B. O. PHILLIPS.

TENSION APPARATUS.

No. 380,347. Patented Apr. 3, 1888.

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UNITED STATES PATENT @rrrcn.

ELWOOD c. PHILLIPS, or RIcHMOnD, INDIANA, AssIeNOR T ANDREW WARREN, or s'r. LOUIS, MISSOURI, AND JOHN W. MARoH, or CINCIN- NATI, OHIO.

TENSION APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 380,327, dated April 3, 1888.

Application filed July G, 1886. Serial No. 207,220. (No model.)

To It whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELWOOD O. PHILLIPS, of Richmond, in the county of Wayne and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tension Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists in an automatic tension apparatus of novel construction.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side plan view of my improved tension device, showing it as applied to strands of wire suitable for the construction of wire-and-picket fence. Fig. 2 is a top view, partly in section; Figs. 3 I5 and 4, details.

A and B represent two yokes, preferably clevis-shaped, so arranged that the arms of each can slide upon the arms of the other. In the form shown the yoke B is of such size 2O that its arms take over the arms of A. The arms of the yoke A are provided with slots a and a, and the ends of B with openings 1) and slots Z). The slots a take over a shaft, G, journaled in the openings b. Upon the shaft G is mounted a Windlass, 0, having rigidly attached thereto friction-disks c. Theslots a and Z) take over a rod or bar, D, which preferably carries friction-shoes (2, adapted to bear against the peripheries of the friction-disks c,

0 and constituting a friction-brake.

E represents a tension-rope, cable, or equivalent device, which is secured to the Windlass 0, passed around a pulley, f, upon the center of an equalizing-bar, F, and secured to the yoke B, which is provided with an aperture, I), or other convenient device for this pur-' pose.

In operation the yoke A is secured by rope or otherwise to a fixed point. If, as in the 4c case of a wire fence, the tension is to be applied to a number of strands at the same time, the wires, cords, or other objects to be strained are attached to the equalizing-bar by any suitable means, yielding or otherwise. The windlass is turned by means of a crauk,-c or equivalent means, until the requisite degree of tension is obtained. The Windlass will then be automatically locked in position by the pressure of the friction-shoes upon the trio tion-disks so long as the objects to be strained are subjected to the normal pressure only; but if an appreciably greater strain is applied the Windlass will automatically yield, thus giving slack and preventing the breakage of the strands. If the strain is to be applied to a single strand, the equalizing-bar may be dispensed with.

I do not confine myself to the specific form of yoke or friction-brake, as it is obvious that various forms might be used and still embody the substance of my invention.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination, in a tension apparatus, of the telescoping yokes, the Windlass provided with friction-disks, the friction-brake, and the tensionrope, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination, in a tension apparatus, of a shaft, a Windlass mounted thereon and provided with frictiondisks, a friction-brake, a yoke connected with the frictionbrake and loosely connected with the shaft, a yoke connected with the shaft and loosely connected with the frictionbrake, a pulley, and a ten sion-rope, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination, in a tension apparatus, of the yoke A, having slots a and c, the yoke B, having openings 1) and slots 2), the Windlass c, mounted upon shaft 0 and carrying friction-disks c, the bar D, carrying friction-shoes d and pulley f, and the tension-rope E, substantially as and for the purpose described.

ELVVOOD O. PHILLIPS.

Witnesses:

OHAs. A. THOMPSON, T. F. HARRINGTON. 

